Floating boom deployment apparatus

ABSTRACT

Deployment apparatus for use with a floating boom of the type formed from a flexible sheet-like partition and a plurality of demountable float means is disclosed. The deployment apparatus includes a partition storage means such as a reel and slide means positioned proximate the reel and formed to enable the partition with the float means attached thereto to be conveyed thereover during deployment and retrieval of the floating boom. The slide means is mounted at a distance from the reel and is dimensioned to have a height so as to enable mounting and demounting of float means to the partition at a position between the slide means and the reel.

United States Patent 1191 11 1 3,807,617 Tanksley Apr. 30, 1974 [541FLOATING BOOM DEPLOYMENT APPARATUS Neeld D. Tanksley, Walnut Creek,Calif.

Pacific Pollution Control, San Francisco, Calif.

Filed: Apr. 25, 1973 Appl. No.: 354,169

Inventor:

Assignee:

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1971 Smith 114/.5 T 5/1973Markel 61/1 F Primary Examiner-Richard A/Schacher Attorney, Agent, orFirmWarren, Rubin, Brucker & Chickering v 1571 Ansmcr Deploymentapparatus for'use with a floating boom of the type formed from aflexible sheet-like partition and a plurality of demountable float meansis disclosed. The deployment apparatus includes a partition storagemeans such as a reel and slide means positioned proximate the reel andformed to enable the partition with the float means attached thereto tobe conveyed thereover during deployment and retrieval of the floatingboom. The slide means is mounted at a distance from the reel and isdimensioned to have a height so as to enable mounting and demounting offloat means to the partition at a position between the slide means andthe reel.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 1 FLOATING BOOM DEPLOYMENT APPARATUSBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A number of different types of floatingbooms have been evolved for use in controlling liquid pollutants, suchas oil, whichhave been accidentally discharged on a body of water. Suchbooms are often employed as a preventative measure when the risk ofpollutant discharge is high. For example, a floating boom will often bepositioned around a ship when it is being fueled. In many applicationssuch as this, it is often necessary to be able to relatively rapidlydeploy and retrieve the floating boom, either from a pier or adeployment vessel.

One type of floating boom which has been found to be extremelyadvantageous since'it can be relatively rapidly deployed and retrievedand further can be stored in a relatively compact volume is shown in myco-pending application Ser. No. 263,522, filed June 16, 1972, andentitled FLOATING BOOM". This type of floating boom includes asheet-like partition member and a plurality of float means which may beselectively attached toor removed from the partition at intervals alongthe length thereof insuring the desired buoyancy of the boom. Thisflexible partition may be readily stored in a roll on a reel. Thepartition material may then be unreeled and the floats attached as thepartition is being paid out from the reel.

In connection with the deployment and retrieval of floating booms of thesheet-like partition type some considerable problem can be encounteredin manipulating the partition while the float means are being attachedor removed and the partition with the float means is being placed in thewater. The partition must be supported in an orientation suitable forattachment and removal of the float means. Still further the partitionwith the float means attached thereto must be conveyed to the body ofwater from thestorage area which cannot always be located immediately atthe waters edge. For example, whether on a boat or pier, some area mustbe allowed between the reel and the water for storage and attachment ofthe float means.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to providedeployment apparatus for a floating boom which enables relatively rapiddeployment and retrieval of the boom.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide deploymentapparatus for a floating boom which is suitable for use on piers, boats,ships, barges and the like,

It is a further object of the present invention to provide deploymentapparatus for a floating boom which enhances the ease of manipulation ofthe boom and may be used for conveyance of the boom from a storage arearemoved from the water's edge to the water.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide deploymentapparatus for a floating boom which is durable, easy to manufacture, maybe used by relatively unskilled personnel, and may be easily installed.

The floating boom deployment apparatus of the present invention hasother objects and features of advantage which will be set forth in moredetail and will be apparent from the following description andaccompanying drawing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The floating boom deployment apparatus of thepres- 2t ent invention is briefly comprised of storage means, such as areel, formed for storage of a flexible partition thereon and paying outand retrieval of the partition therefrom; and slide means positionedproximate the storage means for receipt of the partition as it is paidout or retrieved The slide means is formed for support of the partitioncausing the same to be oriented for attachment or removal of float meansto and from the partition and sliding support of the partition over theslide means to the water with the float means attached. to thepartition. The slide means is preferably formed as a pair of railsextending longitudinally in the direction of deployment of the partitionand positioned in horizontally spaced apart relation at a distancedimensioned for receipt of the float means between the rails. The railsare supported on vertical posts and have interconnecting cross memberswhich define a channel for passage of the float means between the rails.The ends of the slide are formed to receive the partition from the reelat one end and to receive the partition from the water and enabletwisting of the same from the vertical position which the floating boomassumes in the water to a generally horizontal position for storage onthe reel.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, partiallyfragmented, of a floating boom deployment apparatus constructed inaccordance with the present invention and mounted on a pier.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken along theplane of line 3-3 in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2the floating boom deployment apparatus of the present invention can beseen as used to deploy a. floating boom formed from a flexible,sheet-like partition 2 to which azplurality of float means, generallydesignated 22, may be attached or removed. Float means 22 can be of thetype set forth in my co-pending application Ser. No. 263,522 or, as isshown best in FIG. 3, can be formed of a frame 23 having outwardlyextending arms 24 on which a'plurality of float elements 26 are securedby fasteners 27. Float element carrying frame 23 is secured to partition21 by latch means or securement means 28 so that the frame may beselectively removed from the partition or latched thereto. As set forthin my above-referenced co-pending application, end 2 9'of the frame canbe formed with a pivotal connection for articulation of the frame to anopen position allowing mounting and demounting from the partition. Asshown in the drawing, however, end 29 is not articulated and the latchmeans 28 is formed with a movable element which can be selectivelypositioned across the top edge of the partition or away therefrom toenable-mountingof the float element carrying frame on the partition andremoval of the frame from the partition.

Since the partition is flexible, storage means, generally designated 31,may take the form of a reel 32 formed for storage of the flexiblepartition in a roll 33 thereon and for paying out and retrieval of thepartition. Located proximate partition storage means 31 is slide means34. The slide means is formed for receipt of partition 21 from real 32and for sliding-support of the partition from adjacent the reel to thepoint of de- ,ployment of the boom, in this case the end 26 of pier 37.Slide 34 further formed for sliding of the partition thereover withfloat means 22 attached to the partition. Thus, a pair of relativelyhorizontally spaced apart rail members 38 amd 39 are formed for slidingsupport of a side of the partition intermediate the ends thereof and yetare relatively horizontally spaced apart at a distance allowing passageof arms 24 and float elements 26 therebetween. Rails 38 and 39 are heldat the desired vertical heighth by upright members 41 and cross members42 connect uprights 41 to provide strength in the slide. As will beseen, however, cross members 42 are positioned at a distance below rails38 and 39 so as to define a passageway or channel 43 (best seen in FIG.3) for passage of the float means along the slide.

In order to enable rapid securement of float means 22 to partition 21,it is preferable that slide 34 be located at a spaced distance from reel32 and have end 44 formed of a heighth so as to position partition 21for loading and unloading 'of the float means between the reel andslide. Thus, as indicated by arrow 46 a loading and unloading station isprovided between the reel and the slide with the heighth of partition 21being sufliciently above pier 37 so as to allow the arms and floatelements to clear the top surface of the pier. In this regard, floatmeans 22 can be stored in area 47 adjacent the slide and reel forconvenient mounting or demounting to'the partition at loading andunloading station 46.

In use the end of the partition is engaged and advanced toward slide 34.The floats are attached at station 46 and the partition carrying thefloats slid over the slide to the deployment end 48 of the slide. Theend of the partition is then connected to a deployment boat which beginsadvancing the partition away from reel 32. As the partition leaves end48 of the slide, the

weight of the float elements causes the partition to be twisted at 49 soas toassume a generally vertical orientation, which is the orientationassumed in the water. The operator in the boat continues to tow the boomaway from the reel 32 at a rate which will enable a second operator atstation46 to mount float means to the partition. The operatorat station46 is further in a position to control rotation of reel 32 to avoid toorapid a paying out of the partition from the reel. lt should be notedthat end 44 of the slide preferably is arcuate in form to insure propersliding of the partition over the slide in the event of temporary slackin the partition at loading station 46. Similarly, end 48 is furtherpreferably formed with arcuate rails so as to accommodate twisting ofthe partition by 90 as it passes from the water to the slide. I

Since the floating boom of the present invention is often employed insalt water bodies, it is preferable that the reel and slide of thepresent inveniton be formed of a material which is corrosion resistant,such as aluminum, stainless steel or a high-strength plastic. The lengthof slide 34 can be readily extended to accommodate a variety ofinstallation configurations. It is further preferable that the slidemeans slope downwardly from end 44' to end 48 so as to minimize thevertical heighth between the point of deployment or retrieval of thefloating boom to the water. Finally, as will be understood, theapparatus of the present invention can be used to retrieve the boom byreversing the process above-described in connection with deployment. Tobring the boom in, however, reel 32 can be manually engaged by anoperator or driven by a motor once the partition is attached thereto anda second operator positioned at station 46 to remove the floats. A thirdoperator is usually not necessary to guide the boom in the wateralthough such a technique may be optionally employed.

I claim: I

1. Floating boom deployment apparatus for use with a flexible sheet-likepartition and a plurality of float means formed for mounting to anddemounting from said partition comprising:

it .storage means formed for storage of said partition therein andpaying out of said partition therefrom; and

slide means positioned proximate said'storage means and formed forreceipt of said partition from said storage means and sliding support ofsaid partition thereover, said slide means being further formed with afloat means receiving passageway thereover for sliding movement of saidpartition over said slide means with said float means mounted to saidpartition.

2. A floating boom deployment apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein, V

said storage means is formed as a reel formed for storage of saidsheet-like partition in a roll thereon.

3. A floating boom deployment apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein,

said slide means is located at a spaced distance from said reel and isformed and dimensioned to position and orient said partitionpassing-between said reel and said slide means for securement of floatmeans to said partition. l

4. A floating boom deployment apparatus as defined in claim 2 whereinsaid slide means includes a pair of horizontally extending andhorizontally spaced apart rails, said rails being spaced at a distanceless than the height of said partition for engagement of a side of saidpartition intermediate the top and bottom edges thereof, said railsbeing further spaced apart a distance sufficient for passage of theportion of said .float means extending laterally of said partitiontherebetween.

5. A floating boom deployment apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein,said rails extend from proximate said reel to proximate a body of waterinto which the floating boom is to be deployed and said rails slope fromsaid reel downwardly toward said body of water, and said rails aresupported on upright members and said upright members are securedtogether by cross members positioned at a distance below said rails forpassage of said float means thereover, said rails, upright members andcross members defining said float means receiving passageway.

6. A floating boom deploymentapparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein,

opposite ends of said rails means are downwardly depending arcuateportions for receipt of said partitionfrom said reel and from said bodyof water.

I l l

1. Floating boom deployment apparatus for use with a flexible sheet-likepartition and a plurality of float means formed for mounting to anddemounting from said partition comprising: storage means formed forstorage of said partition therein and paying out of said partitiontherefrom; and slide means positioned proximAte said storage means andformed for receipt of said partition from said storage means and slidingsupport of said partition thereover, said slide means being furtherformed with a float means receiving passageway thereover for slidingmovement of said partition over said slide means with said float meansmounted to said partition.
 2. A floating boom deployment apparatus asdefined in claim 1 wherein, said storage means is formed as a reelformed for storage of said sheet-like partition in a roll thereon.
 3. Afloating boom deployment apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein, saidslide means is located at a spaced distance from said reel and is formedand dimensioned to position and orient said partition passing betweensaid reel and said slide means for securement of float means to saidpartition.
 4. A floating boom deployment apparatus as defined in claim 2wherein said slide means includes a pair of horizontally extending andhorizontally spaced apart rails, said rails being spaced at a distanceless than the height of said partition for engagement of a side of saidpartition intermediate the top and bottom edges thereof, said railsbeing further spaced apart a distance sufficient for passage of theportion of said float means extending laterally of said partitiontherebetween.
 5. A floating boom deployment apparatus as defined inclaim 4 wherein, said rails extend from proximate said reel to proximatea body of water into which the floating boom is to be deployed and saidrails slope from said reel downwardly toward said body of water, andsaid rails are supported on upright members and said upright members aresecured together by cross members positioned at a distance below saidrails for passage of said float means thereover, said rails, uprightmembers and cross members defining said float means receivingpassageway.
 6. A floating boom deployment apparatus as defined in claim5 wherein, opposite ends of said rails means are downwardly dependingarcuate portions for receipt of said partition from said reel and fromsaid body of water.